


How To Get Out Of Friendzone Before Valentine's

by AireHaleinski



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alive Aiden, Alive Allison, Derek Hale & Stiles Stilinski Friendship, Fake Braeden /Derek Hale, Feels, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Hints of Cora Hale /Aiden, Humor, I think I tagged everything. If I don’t tell me, Jealous!Stiles, Light Angst, Light Smut, Lydia and Derek are BFF, Lydia is her usual queenself, M/M, Minor Allison Argent/Isaac Lahey, Minor Lydia Martin/Jackson Whittemore, Minor Scott McCall/Kira Yukimura, Mutual Pining, Oblivious Stiles, Pack Family, Pining Derek, Post Season 3A (Kinda 3b without Nogi-drama), Sterek Fest, Stiles is jealous of Braeden, The pack is BFF with each other, Unbeta'd, Werewolf Jackson Whittemore, please, slowbuilt, valentine's fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-28
Updated: 2015-06-28
Packaged: 2018-04-06 15:20:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,328
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4226892
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AireHaleinski/pseuds/AireHaleinski
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Derek has a big crush on Stiles, but he's too insecure to confess it.<br/>That’s why he asks the help of Lydia, for some tips on how to win the young Stilinski’s heart by Valentine's Day.</p>
<p>"Derek feels his stomach jumping for joy, despite that is only a slight and simple contact.<br/>His crush on Stiles gained the upper hand on him, and the funny thing is that he didn’t even think to fight back or suppress all the feels Stiles gives him.<br/>It wasn’t just that: Stiles was a real friend in the first place, he gave him trust and respect, all those values Derek, before knowing the boy, was slowly losing. "</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Written for the SterekFest ;)</p>
            </blockquote>





	How To Get Out Of Friendzone Before Valentine's

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the Sterek fest, even if it's June and not February, whatever =P  
> So a few notes. The fic's set is post 3A, but not 3B, everyone is alive, and Braeden is here for a few moments.  
> Don't worry, she has a purpose here... making Stiles jealous, and nothing more...  
> Plus, the fic is unbeta'd so if there are any mistakes, it all to me.  
> Enjoy the fic, and Sterek all the way =) <3

The “Video Music Awards” are without any doubt, the show with the most appeal to the American audience, bringing every year in front of the TV, millions and millions of people, to let them sing along to their favourite artists.

Even in February, there are those, specifically in the McCall’s residence, who literally lose their minds for the event, although it‘s a simple re-watch.

Kira Yukimura, wrapped in her pink silky blanket, can’t wish for a better company: on the soft red sofa, in fact, the girl sprawls herself next to her boyfriend Scott McCall, and their two friends Derek Hale and Stiles Stilinski. 

It’s easy to notice the deep boredom coming from the werewolf - with his usual grumpy face - compared to the hyperactivity that runs in Stiles’ veins.

"We watched this show a hundred and fifty times, Kira! You know by heart every word they say, and believe me, it’s not funny. Sometimes they even appear in my dreams… enough is enough... " Derek snorts: he accepted Scott’s invitation just because he didn’t want to spend an entire evening alone with his uncle.   
Besides, it was impossible to deny himself that having Stiles next to him was another proper reason. 

"Actually, is not that bad, Derek… do you prefer dreaming about psycho monsters, or any other supernatural crap? And please, stop with the grumpy face, it annoys the hell out of me. Allison always says to smile, because someone could fall in love with you for it... " Stiles chuckles, patting on Derek’s shoulder with care. 

Derek feels his stomach jumping for joy, despite that is only a slight and simple contact.   
His crush on Stiles gained the upper hand on him, and the funny thing is that he didn’t even think to fight back, or suppress all the feels Stiles gives him.   
It wasn’t just that: Stiles was a real friend in the first place, he gave him trust and respect, all those values Derek, before knowing the boy, was slowly losing. 

“Stiles is right ... oh look, it’s starting!" Kira exults, shaking Scott in the throes of an overwhelming joy that leads her to jump on the couch. 

Kira was too often carried away by her enthusiasm.

She, with the company of Scott and Stiles, did nothing but sing, laugh and cheer during the whole show, still repeating the lines by heart as Derek assumed. 

Fortunately, at least both Scott and Kira have a beautiful voice. 

"Oh, look! Isn’t that the performance by Justin Timberlake and Nsync? Oh God, I missed them too much, I loved them as a child.   
And what about Miley Cyrus? Is she too vulgar? Although she needs to put on a show... " 

"Because she’s a part of the show business. Come on, Kira! Do you know you always repeat the same comments over and over? And please slow down, you seem like a runaway train when you talk... " Stiles admits, holding a large amount of pop – corn into his fist, ready to shove them down his mouth. 

“Watch Out! You’re scattering them all over the couch. And you’re the last person in the whole universe who has the right to talk about rambling…" Derek notes, eyeing the little white flakes tossed all over the place, with Stiles doing nothing to collect them. 

After an hour and a half, in which the girl ended up almost completely hoarse, the show finished, making the way for a new episode of Kira and Scott’s favourite reality show: "Friendzone." 

In that episode, Darika – a girl with green eyes and dark hair - tries to overcome her fears to finally confess her crush to Stanes, a young hyperactive guy with deep brown eyes. 

Derek begins to fidget. Even if he despises that kind of programs, considering them just stuff for depressed teenagers, he realizes – and it isn’t that difficult - that Darika’s situation is actually a lot similar to his own one. 

Just like Derek, she tended to be more gruff than the rest of her group, but nevertheless, Stanes was the only one she felt good to hang out with, and who made her laugh.  
That’s why he stole her heart. 

Derek empathises with the unknown girl, hoping that at the end of the episode, she can finally enjoy her dream of love with Stanes, who - just like Stiles - has a particular line of moles on his cheek. 

"Um, I don’t really like them together, they’re so different! He is such an outgoing guy, and look at her…she is so sulky! It would be absurd if they actually dated each other…” Kira thinks aloud.   
Scott nods, convinced by her words. 

Derek thinks that maybe it can be the right time to choke her under the covers, but Stiles precedes him, glancing incredulously at the girl: "Well, she can be sulky as she wants, but she has a gorgeous smile, when she shows it. And look at those cute bunny teeth... she is very pretty and sweet in her own way, even if you don’t see it. Stanes is a jerk if he doesn’t notice it. She obviously cares for him... and has overcome many phobias to try to conquer him. And don’t forget that sometimes opposites attract" he finishes convinced, smiling to himself. 

Derek’s heart jumps high in the sky after hearing those words.   
Is he serious?   
Can Derek count it as a kind of confession?

Not really. 

He wonders if Stiles realized that Stanes and Darika are the exact copies of the two boys sitting there on the couch. 

"Derek, are you all right?" Scott asks a bit worried, hearing the beta’s uncontrolled heartbeat. 

"Yeah..." he whispers, now focused on watching the program, who got on its last part: Darika put on some make up, dressed perfectly and abandoned her insecurity for a better confidence. 

Would she manage to impress Stanes? 

Derek crosses his fingers behind his back. It became almost a personal matter. 

"I wanted to tell you ... Stanes, I like you. I love the way you always try to make me smile, even if I’m the grumpiest person in the universe. I love how you always worry for me, understanding all of my behaviours, and I don’t need to explain anything with you. What I wanted to confess ... I mean, I like you. And I wanted to know what ... what do you think about this... " 

Derek feels scared for Darika, because Stanes’ expression during her confession, gets more shocked with every word she says.   
It’ll probably get even worse for her, damn.   
Stanes widens his eyes, giving her a look that seems anything but reassuring. 

"I’m so sorry Darika. You're a wonderful girl, but I think I'm in love with Lisa, my neighbour. I know, you're a fantastic friend but I can’t see you as a potential girlfriend ... we can still be friends, if you want. " 

Darika stands up from the table she and her friend were having lunch at, running away in tears, in one of the most melodramatic scenes Derek has ever seen on TV. 

The boy lets out a strangled cry: Stil- Stanes - not Stiles, just Stanes holy freak- refused the girl.   
What could it mean? Perhaps even the real Stiles, if Derek ever tries to confess his feelings, will say that he likes him better as a friend? 

Maybe Kira was right? The two of them can’t get along well as a couple? 

Now is the Hale’s turn to become a "depressed – not- a- teenager- anymore- but - still." 

"Are you sure you’re okay Derek? You seem even more upset than Darika ...” 

"Oh my god Scott, I said I'm fine!" Derek snaps facing the other guy.

Damn his fucking idiotic questions. 

"Poor thing, she’s just been" friend-zoned. There is nothing so tragic, emotionally speaking, like being in the friend-zone, believe me ... "Stiles nods, strangely a little disappointed for no apparent reason. 

"Tell me about it," Derek whispers to himself, turning to him and watching him for a moment.

He was sure his whole body was sending nonverbal messages to that boy, but he didn’t seem to grasp them. The more he lingers to stare at the perfect lines of moles in Stiles’s face - lines that makes him going crazy - the more his body is on fire. 

He needs to get out of there as soon as he can, if he doesn’t want to turn into a stupid heater. 

But that feeling overcame him long time ago: his pupils blow and a strange expression shows up on his face when he looks at Stiles, a mere mixture of suffering and worship, because only the younger Stilinski can confuse his existence like that. 

"Derek are you sure you're okay? I can feel the warmth of your body in the whole room..." Kira says, exchanging a worried look with Scott. 

They are going to notice the war that’s happening in Derek’s mind: maybe it’s better for him to leave for real now, thank you very much. 

"No, I'm fine ... I think it’s better to go home. Bye, thanks for the evening ...” Derek jumps up, almost running toward the door. He’s not able to resist in there a minute longer. 

He’s not able to resist sitting beside Stiles a minute longer. 

"Hey Derek wait for me, I'll give you a ride home!" Stiles shouts from the living room, while Derek puts on his usual leather jacket, preparing to run away from that house before troubles, a.k.a. Stiles, can catch him. 

Stiles’ words hit Derek in the chest: going home with him means they’ll stand closer in the Jeep, and then maybe they will ki- ...

The heat inside him triples.   
He can’t live like this, fuck. 

"No thanks Stiles, I’m ok. Bye." Derek spits it out, closing the door behind him, with his heart beating loud into his ears.  
He had just turned down Stiles’ amazing idea to spend at least ten minutes with him without other people around them. 

He’s the definition of coward. 

The rejection of a guy he didn’t even know, watched on a stupid reality show that he strangely associated with his real life, upset him so much? 

"Idiot, moron, jerkass, idiot" Derek curses himself, as he walks briskly along the main street of the city, heading to the loft. 

He can’t go on like this, he needs help: his advantage is to know exactly who to ask for it. 

What Derek hasn’t seen, lost in his illogical anxiety, is the expression of disappointment that Stiles finds himself showing for the rest of the evening. 

Stiles hates when Derek abandons them like he doesn’t actually enjoy their company.   
He appreciates sincerely Derek’s closeness, and seeing him as the usual hermit, gets terribly on his nerves. 

“Ice Cream everyone? I have mascarpone cheese flavour, I think you'll like it, Stiles..." Scott suggests, picking up the developing tension and therefore deciding that it’s better eating something sweet, trying not to think about anything. 

Kira leaps on the couch. 

"Oh Scott, please tell me you have Nutella! Do you have any idea of the gastronomic orgasm that would come out of this mix?" She squeaks amazed, mouth already watering.

Scott's eyes widens "You're a bloody genius! Nutella! Why didn’t I think about it? And that’s why I adore you so much... " 

Kira smiles, getting up to help Scott portioning the ice cream, on which he spreads a large amount of the hazelnut cream. 

Just Stiles didn’t seem that impressed by Scott’s idea, even if his request collides with his behaviour. 

"Scottie, gimme double ration please …” 

The explanation of it hides in the last message Stiles sent. 

To whom?   
Derek, obviously.

Kira and Scott lie down on the couch, swallowing the ice cream with happiness, while Stiles puts down the cell next to him, as if to symbolize the company of someone who has just said goodbye, before eating his first spoon. 

"Hey, we're stuffing ourselves with mascarpone cheese flavoured ice cream, with Nutella on top, Kira’s idea. I'm sorry you missed it, Derek, but you wanted to run away ... something I really disapprove if, you're interested.   
I could give you a ride with my Jeep, but you act as the usual grumpy...   
However, if you want to know, I took a double ration, so it seems that you ate it too.   
Nite Derek, see you tomorrow. " 

\- 

It’s a quiet morning, when Lydia Martin opens her eyes, knowing that it’s impossible to consider herself luckier than she is.

An unusual calm takes place in Beacon Hills: there is no school and the only programs of the day are reading the last volume of the encyclopaedia Natalie bought her, while spending every turning page between one chapter and the other crouched next to Jackson, who by contrast, is fast asleep.   
Since he returned from England, the boy hasn’t left Lydia once, practically living under her roof. 

Not that life for the neo werewolf has been easy, because he had to fight for Lydia’s love. 

She was slowly bonding with Aiden, member of the Alpha pack, who now left the city and Lydia, as an omega. 

He couldn’t win against Lydia and Jackson’s true love. 

Aiden ended up in South America, to live next to Cora Hale, Derek’s sister.   
How those two became friends, was definitely a mystery, given that they virtually declared war all the time they met each other in Beacon Hills. 

"Jackson, you won’t me to scream you wake up, will you? My shouts are powerful enough for people like you, especially in the morning..." 

Jackson mumbles in his sleep and Lydia tries again "Jackie, wake up. Now." 

"Jackie is a girl's name ...." 

"So you're awake. Good morning babe... did you sleep well?". 

Lydia finds Jackson’s lips without any difficulty.   
Their fingers start to dance on each others bodies: every morning the touch of their hands is a worship, like it’s the last day they would spend together. 

"Yes, it’s normal to wake up next to you in a good mood. You know, I woke up tonight and I touched you while you were sleeping ... ". 

"Jackson!" She cries, half excited, half offended, getting up and heading to the bathroom. 

"Come on, it’s just a joke! Do you really think I can do something like that?".

“Absolutely!” 

They don’t stop bickering, until they reach the shower: who needs to talk sweet nothings, when you can actually share hugs and cuddles while holding a sponge in a hand? 

Certainly not them. 

They shower together for a good half an hour, until, still numb from the water and both damn excited, they decide to lie down on the bed to pamper each other a little more. 

That was, without any doubt, a day made just for them. 

A moment made just for them, with no one who dares to interrupt. 

Jackson takes Lydia’s hands, still kissing her with strength, moaning her name, unaware of who spied on them from the window for about ten minutes. 

"Um ..." 

Jackson turns around, groaning with anger and covering his naked body, opening the window to let him come inside. 

"Derek, what the flying fuck are you doing up here? We installed a fucking doorbell for a reason, you know. Or, knock, at least, damn!". 

"Hello ... It’s not the first time I see naked bodies, Jackson. Anyway, I’m here just because I need to talk to Lydia, possibly with dress on, thank you. " 

The two lovers look at each other bewildered, before Lydia - sighing and putting on a black shirt and a pair of pink panties that don’t hide the curves of her body - gets up and moves toward the kitchen, followed by Derek. 

"I hope this is something at least vital for this city’s sake, because no one, and I say NO – FREAKING – ONE dares to interrupt a cuddle session between me and Jackson. No one, ok? So I'm praying for you that it's worth it. " 

Her threatens are somehow even worse, when she has swollen lips and messy hair.  
Derek blushes: the time for confessing out loud the crush he guarded jealously - sharing it only with the darkness of his room - has come.   
The boy takes a deep breath and Lydia knows just with his gesture that the situation is really serious. 

"I want to get out of the “friend zone” by this Valentine’s. It's important to me. And I'm asking you because you are the most experienced of the whole pack... not to mention that you know perfectly the person I have a massive crush on. If you help me, I promise I won’t bother you anymore, during your make out sessions with Jackson. Not that it was nice watching you rolling in the sheets .... " 

"When you say I know perfectly the person you like, I hope for your own sake you don’t mean Allison, or there will be troubles for you.   
She’s happy with Isaac as I haven’t seen her in a long time, so don’t think I’m willing to help you for this". 

Jackson comes in the kitchen like a rocket, looking shocked, with his mouth open in a big 'o'.

"Are you serious? You, a genius in almost everything, fail so badly? Holy shit Lydia, he smells like Stilinski! I think he is the guy our Derek likes, but I want to stop here because the fact that you care about that jerk there, is something that goes way beyond my comprehension. " 

Derek feels somehow cornered, before sighing and nodding to Jackson’s words, while Lydia slaps on his boyfriend for calling Stiles “ jerk”. 

"You like Stiles? Woah, this is a big scoop! Um, let me think, maybe we need a plan. Oh…yeah! Definitely a plan! Wait for me here, don’t go anywhere!". 

The girl runs to her room, to return ten seconds later with a pen and papers in her hands.

"I have something for you, Derek. A plan of seven moves that will get you by the 14th to be, if all goes well, Stiles’ boyfriend. Or the guy who has the exclusive for an hand inside his boxers, choose you the best definition…".

“Lydia, have you ever heard of mental images? Ugh…” Jackson squirms, while Derek blushes even more. 

While Lydia starts writing hurriedly, Jackson stares adoringly at her, easily forgetting Stiles’ mental image, lost in caressing her cheek. 

Derek sees it, considering that it’s pretty much the same face he shows when he looks at Stiles when they are together, minus the touching, unfortunately. 

"Thanks guys. Jackson, I know you have a damn hurry, don’t worry, I'll leave you alone with her when she’ll finish writing the list... " Derek mutters, thanking the two friends who, despite his incredibly rude interruption, decided to give him an helping hand, without even criticize or argue that, among 7 billion people, he chose Stiles. 

"Here, hold it: if you follow these tips, it’s almost certain you and Stiles ’ll be the loveliest lovebirds of Beacon Hills.  
But, we have to assume that it’s obvious you need to change your behaviour around him. 

If he sees you as a friend, is because you act as one: just cut forever this way of being, and I’m pretty sure everything is going to work.   
Again, follow the list and you should be all right" Lydia decrees, proud of her work.

"You deserve the Nobel prize for this, Lydia..." Jackson asserts, visibly excited, while jumping shamelessly in her arms, caressing, touching and kissing her like she was a gift from heaven.   
Lydia kisses back, completely eclipsing Derek from the room. 

"Ok, I'm going, thanks guys. Um... I’ll use the window in your room Lydia, if you don’t mind. Hey, are you listening to me?”. 

The boy realizes he became the equal of an object of furniture, counting how much they were paying attention to him, too busy in eating each other faces. 

Derek, finally, decides to move away from Lydia’s house, to try putting into practice that list, which result was ending up in Stiles Stilinski’s arms. 

Or at least that’s what he hopes. 

\- 

7 steps to get out of the friend zone, a.k.a, "How to find yourself in the loving arms of Stiles Stilinski". 

Author: Lydia Martin, with the physical and moral cooperation of Jackson Whittemore. 

Day 1)   
Don’t be the shoulder to cry on. 

Even that day, as usual, the pack found itself at Derek’s loft to plan the work the "protectors of Beacon Hills" have to do, to make sure the city suffers as little as possible because of supernatural occurrences or more easily, psychopathic killers with no real powers who, for the group, are much easier to handle. 

Stiles – of course – was the only one missing, with Derek’s – but also Lydia and Jackson’s - big disappointment.   
The two of them were eager to enjoy the show Derek could provide, in an attempt – knowing Derek probably an awkward one - to approach the young Stilinski, following Lydia’s advices. 

Peter Hale, Derek's uncle, was there beside them, sniffing the annoyance of his nephew, caused by Stiles’ absence. 

"I would say it’s better to start the meeting... if Stiles is missing, it’s not a big problem, since in any case one of the brains of the group is here," he whispers, side-eyeing Lydia, who snorts, cuddling a jealous Jackson. 

"Ok ..." Derek snaps reluctantly, before the door opens, showing Stiles’ dark face. 

"Finally! Better late than never!" Isaac chuckles before stopping, noticing the discomfort that apparently the guy is feeling. 

"What happened, man? Is everything ok?" Scott asks intrigued. 

"Caitlin! I met her outside the school! She came with her sister to the swimming lessons, and I tried to ask her to go out together tomorrow, but she refused. Derek, what do you suggest? I really like her and you always give me the best advices… pretty please, I need help!”   
Stiles whines, turning to stare at the beta.   
He was always the one who dispensed some advice, and above all, he was the elusive shoulder on which Stiles "cried" when his “love affairs” weren’t going as he expected. 

"If you stop flirting with anyone who comes to your way, maybe you’ll attract the ones who are really interested in you. And by the way, I saw Caitlin with her new girlfriend, yesterday. If I were you I would stop exasperating her with your silly behaviour" Derek growls, surprising almost all the guys here, except for Jackson, Lydia and Peter - who obviously knows the crush his nephew has on the hyperactive kid-. 

"Wise words, Derek. Stiles, you know, I’d listen to him, and I’d stop trying to approach anyone, focusing more on the people that are already part of my life. But mine it’s just a light heart advice, don’t think about it too much" Peter chimes, before meeting Derek’s glare. 

Stiles kept quiet for the whole meeting, thinking about the change in Derek’s tone, who maybe couldn’t stand his flirts for real.

"Why do I feel he’s more similar to his old self, bitter and sour? Maybe it bothers him if I want to know new people? It seems incredible to me ... 

Wait. What… what if he is, somehow ... jealous?" 

\- 

Day 2 

Flirt 

The pizzeria in the downtown of Beacon Hills is the most frequented by the pack, if only to distract themselves or to chat over a plate full of delicacies and melted mozzarella, which Allison personally adored. 

Lydia, failing to remain silent, confided everything to her best friend who now, along with Isaac and Jackson, are sitting next to Derek, trying in any ways to flatter him, in front of Stiles who’s maybe too busy making platonic love with the slices of pizza to care about his friend. 

The tactic of the trio, after reached by Lydia and Peter, is to make Derek laugh or at least smile.   
Allison’s motto was still on the run, and Derek needed to fully take advantage of it, as much as he could. “Don’t be sulky. Someone might fall in love with your smile." 

Derek and smiles weren’t a proper good combination, but for Stiles perhaps he would have made an effort.   
Like the one he was making trying to remember how to flirt.

Derek Hale. Flirting with Stiles Stilinski.   
Derek doesn’t actually get, when his life became a freaking reality show. 

"You're guzzling, Stiles, chew!" Derek orders, looking sideways at his friend, who, despite the pizza, fails to look away.   
Stiles isn’t stupid, he knows something is going on.   
Something specifically about him and Derek being all smiley and touchy.   
A new side of the Sourwolf that Stiles never met, but that enjoys a freaking lot. 

Plus Derek’s irises – awesomely coloured, if you ask the Sheriff’s son- are practically magnetic. 

Derek, intent on nibbling the edge of the pizza, receives a message from Isaac beside him. 

"Continue with the side looks... last time I checked, he stared for 11. 5 seconds, I timed it. And no, he wasn’t observing the picture behind you, he was looking at you. " 

\- 

"And then Scott was caught by Melissa while cuddling not really platonically with Kira on his bed.   
I was walking on the neighbourhood and I smelled Scott’s embarrassment.   
Holy shit, that was funny as fuck…”

“Jackson, language!” 

“Someone got obsessed with Captain America, don’t you, Lydia?” 

“Peter, shut up”.

The whole table shook with laughter and Derek gets that this is the best time to smile back, maybe at each one of them, to seem a little more friendly.   
It works: Stiles is so mesmerized by Derek’s gesture – the most genuine and spontaneous he’s ever seen him doing – that catches his breath, making him almost choking on his pizza. 

"Oh god, Stiles! Breathe, you’re choking! Here, drink a glass of water! – Lydia orders, before adding - What happened, you were eating almost normally for the first time in your whole life…"   
She handles a livid Stiles a glass, the problem gone. 

"Yes, yes, I'm fine, it was just a moment of ...."

Stiles isn’t able to finish the sentence, letting the others to understand that he actually notices Derek’s smile. 

Derek’s phone suddenly rings and the boy looks at the sender: Lydia. 

"You're doing great ... now the last move ...." 

He is ready for the latest move, though he is having fun.   
But he knows it’s a necessary sacrifice, to get his "full prize" at the end. 

"Guys, it was so much fun, but I have to go... I have some pressing business to do, that I can’t delay anymore, sorry...". 

Derek stands up from the table and heads for the checkout, when he hears that someone stands up with him. 

"Hey, you can’t leave already! It’s too early! And we didn’t even eat the sweetest rainbow cake of the world! I told you long time ago you have to eat it sooner than later! Now is the soonest you can get… don’t leave Derek!"

Stiles is almost whining for him to stay, and that’s something Derek never imagined.   
Or maybe he did, just in his room, thinking it would never happen for real.

It happened, and now he really doesn’t know what to do.   
Just stick with the plan. 

"Sorry Stiles, but it’s impossible for me to stay here more, though I would...” Derek manages to answer stoically, taking into account that Stiles’ pupils expanded slightly, while Derek maintained the eye contact. 

"At least can I go with you?" Stiles suddenly blurts, cheeks flushing.

That’s heaven for Derek: those pink cheeks, and pink lips, and the moles, and – stop thinking.   
Now. 

Actually Derek’s immediate answer was going to be a "Yes, you can leave with me. There’s something better you can do for me, like coming into my house – pun intended, and Derek closes briefly his eyes at the thought - and make it your own" but the insistent and threatening signs of denial – this means being friends with Lydia Martin, who sometimes scares him more than the Alpha pack, and having Peter Hale as an uncle – coming from the table, forces him to refuse. 

"No Stiles, I would have liked it, but I just can’t. Bye, see you tomorrow!”

Derek walks away, not before he sends another shy and calculated smile to Stiles, who’s definitely dazzled and disappointed at the same time by Derek’s gesture. 

Stiles sits next to Isaac, demoralized and confused.   
He wanted Derek to stay with them - and with him - throughout the whole evening, and the thought strike him deeply. 

Since when, he wanted so morbidly the closeness of his werewolf friend? 

.... 

"Sorry Derek if we made you run away and skip the dessert, but believe me, it was worth it. Stiles hasn’t opened his mouth for the rest of the evening, and we weren’t even able to wash him away the muzzle face he showed. See you tomorrow, I’ll always cheer for you!   
Allison. " 

\- 

Day 3 

Use as much physical contact as you can. 

 

Healthy walks are the best time to relax. The pack love strolling in the park, listening to the different sounds nature can produce, trying to get carried away by them. 

Scott, Derek, Allison, Stiles, Kira and Isaac are all sitting in one bench, chit chatting about this and that, all safe subject, until Isaac brings school grades to light. 

"Oh, right, Stiles, how was the test? We studied hard to prepare it...”  
Derek asks, holding out his arm on the edge of the bench, behind Stiles, dangerously close to Stilinski’s upper back. 

The boy tries and fails to hide it: he feels the mild physical contact Derek gives him, that makes him decidedly revved up for no apparent reason. 

His way of being around Derek is definitely changing, without his fully understandment. 

"Well, thanks for asking ..." he says, looking at his shoes. 

A few minutes later, if someone passes near the bench, he, or she will notice how all the guys are touching each other's hair. Blame the new conditioner they bought, which really make the hair softer. 

"Let me touch them... um! Stiles, you put a ton of it on your head! The softness of your hair reminds me of silk" Derek purrs – and seriously? Stiles has never heard Derek purring, and that’s the best sound in the universe, holy what - before beginning to card his fingers through Stiles’ hair; it’s impossible for him to hold back shivers of pleasure, that run down his spine. 

"T-thanks D-Derek ... I'm glad you like them, ... I mean, not that you have to like my hair for real, well, that’s awkward and I can’t stop talking oh god ...."   
Stiles begins to get flustered, hoping someone else doesn’t catch his discomfort. 

"Don’t worry Stiles, it's all right. And you always can’t stop talking...". Derek smiles, peering deeply at him, pasting his hazel green coloured irises with Stiles’ amber ones, before laying a hand on the other's arm. 

The first thought that crosses Stiles’ mind is 'just hug me please', but he can’t express it out loud for various reasons, the first of which is that the boy is incredibly missing this kind of audacity. 

With the girls was one thing, but Derek is completely different. 

He has never thought of having to ask Derek to embrace him, and the thought alone arouses many small shivers behind his back. 

What’s happening to him? 

\- 

Day 4   
Be a gentleman! 

The pouring rain doesn’t allow to be able to see farther than someone’s nose, for the strength of the small drops which, added to the mighty power of the wind, move the umbrella here and there making it uncontrollable. 

Stiles, with the Jeep out of gas, finds himself having to walk from his home to the loft, ending completely drenched. 

No one offered him a ride, and this seemed very strange. 

"I could suffer some kind of illness, fever and so on, and no one would care for me. Maybe only Derek, but I can’t pretend he leaves his house, picks me up and then go back to the loft again... um. Perhaps if I'd asked before, he didn’t deny a ride, his behaviour is so differently on these days... ". 

Stiles opens the loft’s door, drowning himself in the heat provided by the fireplace. None of the boys, seemed strangely jubilant, is soaking wet from head to toe, like him. 

“You guys! Hey!" He shouts, to make sure the pack is aware of his   
presence. 

The first one who turns is Kira, suddenly getting up from the sofa near the table, to greeting him. 

"Hey Stiles, but you're soaking wet!" 

"No way…! You left me pretty much alone in the storm, I would say not only wet, but also a walking puddle!”. 

"Stiles, what the hell are you doing there? You're tainting the Persian carpet " Peter snorts bored, without getting up to help the poor Stilinski, who looks like a drowned rat. 

The rest of the group ignores him as well, and neither Lydia nor Scott – strangely the ones who care for him the most, if you exclude Derek from the list - seem to notice the presence of the boy. 

There’s something going on here, Stiles is pretty much sure about that. 

"What do you all complain about?" Derek snaps from the kitchen, while he is preparing tea. 

"Stiles has just arrived and he’s ruining the Persian carp-." 

Peter doesn’t even need to end the phrase, that his nephew virtually slingshots toward the boy, handing him a pair of dry clothes. 

"These’re mine, and you won’t fit perfectly in them, but at least you don’t catch a cold or something worse. Come here by the fireplace to change the clothes..." Derek pushes him toward it before sitting by the crackling fire. 

"Really Derek, from where did you pulled out those clothes? Were there already prepared for the event, in the kitchen drawers, you know for some eventuality?" Jackson asks nonchalantly, with a mischievous grin on his face. 

The beta blinks, with a murderess glance which seems almost to say "Shut up or I'll rip your throat in a half" in Jackson’s direction. 

"Thanks Derek but you know, I’m not keen on putting on a stripe tease in front of everyone ... I still have a dignity somewhere" Stiles protests, who starts to tremble slightly. 

"Would you rather die for the cold? Wait, I'll help you .... "   
Derek wraps cautiously the blanket around the body of the other guy, in a gesture that can be   
well interpreted as a proper embrace. 

In some awkward way, it is. 

Derek feels the other beside him taking off his shirt, and wearing his one, that, if he really had to be honest, is among the ones he loves the most. 

His heart swells with tenderness, while watching Stiles, and he hopes with all his heart not to have any kind of reaction in the groin area: Stiles’ muscles and physical condition become through the years, quite different from the usual, with bones and limbs similar to a bread stick, which have been the hallmark of the boy.   
Now, to be honest, Stiles is very attractive.

Derek concentrates all its efforts in not seeing or imagining the body in front of him, especially since the room was packed with people. 

It doesn’t matter if they were just his friends, and accomplices in planning everything possible to confess to Stiles; it is still a crowd that would noticed swelling in suspect areas. 

Meanwhile, Stiles enjoys the strange embrace his friend is giving him, taking off the clothes with a maddening slowness because he feels he doesn’t want the contact to end. 

"Stiles, come on, I made hot tea... if you take a quarter of an hour to strip it’ll get cooler...” Derek ascertains, without moving from that position he’s loving more and more. 

In the meantime, the group decide to study carefully all their moves: there are those who already reached exasperation, like Isaac and Allison and those who tried to ignore the two near the fire, like Lydia and Peter. 

Scott and Kira stare alternately between their friends and the duo with a confused look, without understanding why in the air they breathe lies an odd tension.   
It’s like all the gestures in that room are somehow calculated. 

Just Derek seems the more spontaneous, but Scott and Kira don’t really understand the reason. 

"Is Stiles doing it on purpose? Can’t he see that Derek is lusting after him? When did he ever behave so lovingly with any of us? Please, and I thought he was smart ..." Isaac whispers to Allison, who is sipping tea quietly, next to Kira. 

"We have to intervene again. Why must we always get everything done? Derek should be thankful that I got an idea" she answers back, pulling out the cell phone from her pocket. 

Both Scott and Kira overhear the conversation, looking at each other, realizing what, until then, they missed. 

Derek hasn’t leave Stiles alone yet, despite the younger boy has now changed dress completely.

"Derek, I'm ... I'm dressed now, and… um, I'm glad you're so close, here, but I can keep the blanket on my shoulders by myself. Thanks, anyway," he mutters, increasingly embarrassed. 

He really doesn’t understand why Derek’s presence upsets him so much. 

"You’re welcome, I'll take the cup of tea... there are also some cookies, if I remember correctly..."   
Derek turns away from Stiles, a little disappointed, to get closer to the table. 

The smile his face is showing, is almost visible to everyone. 

"Uuuh, now I get it! I know what’s going on!" Kira gulps, struck by a revelation, between the general silence that falls for a moment among the rest of the pack. 

"Kira, are you okay?" Derek asks, looking at the girl, who’s staring at him with a new light in her eyes. 

"Oh, I’m... great! "She smiles, showing a dreamy look, before staring at both Derek and Stiles, and then pointing at them and forming a heart with her hands.   
"You two are so cute! I had never thought about seeing you two as a couple, but ... oh my God that was a nice surprise! I saw you’re putting your heart to finally reach Stiles’ one, and I can only wish you good luck, Derek! "She hums, smiling and glancing meaningfully at Scott, which instead is left with mouth wide open, very amazed and amused at the same time. 

"Are you for real? Do you have a crush on him? It’d never cross my mind, but that's cool, anyway! Congrats, I think you have a good chance of success! "Scott giggles silently. 

"Thanks," Derek looks down, visibly pleased. Now he has the whole pack who supports him, and he can’t be happier. 

The boy turns to Stiles, who remains silent, before sitting down on the floor beside him. 

"Here, I brought you tea and biscuits. Drink it immediately, otherwise it risks becoming really cold...". 

Stiles smiles, letting his ears to delight in listening Derek’s sweet voice and admiring how he is taking care of him. 

“Thank you Derek, you're very kind." 

They both look up at the same time, tying their gazes, first briefly and then a little longer.   
Derek is mirroring himself in the brownish irises of the other, reading so much gratitude and a hint of embarrassment, mixed with joy, in it. 

Derek knows it’s a matter of gestures, moments, and Stiles would have finally realized that Derek regarded him as more than just a friend.

The silence is suddenly interrupted by a melody that spreads into the room, overlapping Kira’s excited sights, who hasn’t missed anything of that exchange. 

"The rain is falling on my window pane   
but we are hiding in a safer place   
Under covers staying dry and warm   
you give me feelings That I adore   
It starts in my toes   
make me crinkle my nose   
where ever it goes   
I always know   
That you make me smile ... " 

"Oh God, sorry, my phone has virtually come to life by itself, I’ll turn it off right now..." Allison says quickly, putting the phone in her pocket and hiding the grin on her face. 

The rest of the group is split in a half: someone dance silently and other are convulsed in laughter and soft exclamations.

"You're a freaking genius..." Isaac murmurs to his girlfriend, raising his fist as an exultation. 

The two boys, sitting near the fire, hear the words of the song, realizing how much of that is true. Neither of them say anything but the looks that occasionally exchange, are much more soulful than the usual. 

Until the end of the afternoon, neither of them moved from its position in front of the crackling fireplace. 

\- 

Day 5 

Create a little healthy competition. (I said healthy, Derek, remember...) 

"How was school?" Sheriff Stilinski, just back from work, slouches on the couch, indenting to nibble the remains of the sandwich he ordered at the bar, in front of the police station. 

It ‘s evening now, and the man has just wanted to finish his dinner and watch a football match on TV. 

"Good" Stiles almost barks, in a tone that leads back to everything, except to something positive. 

"Are you sure? You seem to want to skin someone ... are you angry? ". 

"Me? What makes you say this? " 

Stiles appears in the doorway of the room, approaching the couch with a paper in his hand. 

"The report card of the trimester. I got all A” he snaps, handing the document as if it’s his sentence to a life behind jail bars. 

"Since when having a so high average rating is a crime? Tell me”

"I’m so happy, don’t you see?"

Stiles finds himself a grimace on his face that resemblance anything but a smile. 

"That's not a smile, son, you look under the influence of something... are you sure you're okay?". 

"Yes, Dad, I'm going to my room, good night. Love ya... " 

Stiles hugs his father - still shocked by his son’s unusual behaviour - and runs up the stairs, directed to his room. 

He hates her.   
He hates her and he doesn’t understand why. 

How can she - a girl appeared from nowhere - making him laughing so much? How can a fucking stranger, change his behaviour?   
Stiles is certain now: he has a soft spot for Derek’s smile, that element which can be more rare than a drop of water in the desert, and more precious than any diamond. 

It basically happened that, once out of school, Derek waited for him, Kira, Scott and Jackson to chat a bit when, out of nowhere, appeared a girl, Braeden, apparently a great friend of Derek. 

The girl was very attractive, with coffee-coloured skin, dark hair and brown eyes that seemed to peer into people deeply.   
Even the girl's smile was engaging, as well as her self-confident, funny and sarcastic being.   
The worse thing seemed that Derek liked her a lot, and this incredibly annoyed Stiles, even though he didn’t understand why. 

Was he jealous? 

Of Derek? 

The hypothesis isn’t so absurd. 

After the afternoon spent at the loft and the fireside chat, Stiles realized how much he actually enjoyed Derek’s company, like a tons more he admitted. 

He wasn’t even aware that the other members of the pack were there along with him, meaning how involved he was by the Hale’s presence.   
A message made his phone to vibrate, shaking him off his thoughts. 

Sender?

Scott. 

‘Stiles, come to the loft as soon as you can. Derek told us to be there, because there’s something about a girl he wants to tell us, I don’t really remember… anyway get off your ass and come here!’. 

Stiles stares at his screen with something similar to rage and disappointment spreading in his guts.   
Girl? Derek doesn’t have a girl.

Then he remembers Braeden, and everything falls apart. 

Stiles runs to the garage, not before he yells to his father: “IGOTODEREK’SBYE” 

The boy starts to fidget inside his beloved Jeep, devoured by curiosity and bitterness. 

What if Derek found something in that girl? And with “something” he means long chats at night, staring while the other one doesn’t and all that lovey – dovey thing Kira and Scott – and the other couples of the pack -do. 

Not Derek. He’s not a lovey – dovey person. 

“Well – someone in his mind says, voice similar to Lydia’s – he was narcissistic and romantic, before Kate and the fire. Peter told you and Cora about that. Do you remember?” 

Stiles groans, hands tight on the steering wheel. 

He remembers. 

Stiles doesn’t have to wait too much: when he opens the door of the loft, there is the entire pack shaken by giggles, and, to his amazingly disappointment, Derek and Braeden sitting close, smiling.   
Next to the guy there’s a bag full of dresses. 

Stiles's heart skips a beat. 

"What's the hell is that bag?" He snaps, without even saying hello. 

“Nothing, don’t worry. I only invited here all of you to tell you that I'm leaving for a day with Braeden... it’s been a long time since we've seen each other, and she wanted to show me Los Angeles, now she lives there.

Don’t look so shocked, she doesn’t kidnap me!" Derek throws out, without hiding himself the fact that he smells Stiles from before the entered in the room. 

Stiles exudes pure jealousy, from every pore of his skin. 

"Is she a friend of yours? And didn’t you two think about the existence of Google Maps? You can show him LA waaay easily, like this" Stiles almost growls, feeling a growing anger. 

Plus, why does it seems like the pack don’t care that Derek is going to leave them for a damn entire day? 

"Sorry, but it’s better being there, if you ask me. And yes, I’m the closest friend Derek has. And you have to thank me, since I saved him from a group of unscrupulous hunters who wanted to kill him, some time ago..." 

“Thank You. But do you still need to make a trip to Los Angeles to show your gratitude? Can’t you two celebrate the fact that you have just met while staying here in Beacon Hills? What about throwing a party? I’m here to help you Derek, we’re close friends too”. 

"Oh but Derek promised me to come and visit LA together some time ago. Didn’t we, Derek?" Braeden turns to the young Hale with her eyes a little heart-shaped. 

Derek stares back at her. "C- certainly...”. 

That’s enough for Stiles patience. He’s shot deep in the way those two are looking at each other, so it’s better to leave them alone, seemingly far too intimate. 

What Stiles didn’t notice, lost in his jealousy bubble, was that Braeden   
needed to kick Derek on his foot, to have that “certainly”, because Derek couldn’t stop staring at Stiles, smelling his discomfort. 

"Well, so bye Derek, have fun... bye Braeden, enjoy your lovely trip" Stiles snaps, before running away from the loft, as the air is definitely lacking in there. 

He closes the door behind him and that was the moment when Derek realizes Stiles is way more jealous than he expected.   
That thought alone shocked him. 

Meanwhile, Stiles can’t help but think that seeing Derek with another girl irritates him. 

A picture pierces his brain, and Stiles cradles on it: he and Derek sitting together in front of the fireplace, sharing a slight but sweet kiss ... 

The boy shakes himself awake, shocked by his own thoughts, deliberately ignoring the purr of his stomach. 

Nothing of what he imagined, something he actually likes a lot, to be honest, would never become real, Stiles knows better. 

He and Derek just became friends, after all the hatred they felt for each other and Stiles already thought about kissing him? There was something wrong with him, he was sure.   
Stiles never heard the scream of joy coming from the loft, which the pack defined as "the best they could even imagine to get". 

"Oh my god Derek, did you see him? He was rotten jealous. I flirted with you on purpose, and he got even more nervous, thank god I kicked you, because you were about to ruin everything with all that staring. " 

"But then, as you said, Braeden, you not so blatantly stepped on his foot, and I wonder how “hawkeye – Stiles” didn’t notice it.  
Thankfully, however, otherwise Stiles would have found out everything... "Scott nods in Braeden’s direction. 

Peter’s idea - recall Braeden, to fake a date between her and Derek, trying to make Stiles jealous - worked out awesomely.

"But now don’t tell me I have to drag you in Los Angeles with me? I just wanted to go there with my boyfriend... not with a petulant lover to be our idler” she huffs, a bit bored. 

"Who says that he really goes to Los Angeles? He needs to just move away from the city with some of us, like his uncle, and that's it" Lydia decrees, as if it was the most obvious thing. 

"Um, yes, you're right. Anyway, I was pleased to help you, Derek, I hope you and that kid will live your love dream as soon as possible...”

Braeden walks away, waving goodbye, with Derek beaming like he never did before.   
He’s getting closer to his goal, and especially, he feels that perhaps there was a minimum possibility that Stiles reciprocates. 

\- 

Day 6   
Let him feel your absence, and change your look. 

Stiles hasn’t put down the phone yet, that morning.   
He has a goal in mind: to send more messages to Derek that’s possible, to disturb his “reunion”, whatever that is, with Braeden in Los Angeles. 

It’s with a series of rings from his cellphone that Derek opens his eyes that morning.   
The programs are visiting a nearby town with Peter and then going shopping with Isaac, Lydia, Jackson and of course the inevitable uncle. 

After school, Stiles is going to go to Scott’s, with Allison and Kira, to revise history for the next - day- test, but also to distract him of the thought of Derek out of town. 

"He has his life, Stiles, do you really think that he wants to stay with us every minute and every hour? Are you crazy? " Scott comments, when he enters the classroom, finding Stiles intent to send trillion of text messages to Derek. 

"Well I want to talk to him, it is a problem?" Stiles answers back with acidity on his tone, not losing sight of the phone.   
The boy didn’t receive answers from Derek, and that worried him terribly.   
This means he’s having fun with Braeden, and that’s a ginormous problem. 

"Hello Derek, how are you in Los Angeles? It's 9 in the morning and you still haven’t turned on your phone? That’s odd...”

............ 

"Hello Derek, school’s out. It's a bit sad not to see your big car out of the parking lot, I hope you're enjoying your trip. Are you in Venice beach? No, maybe not, it's winter. I'm an idiot.   
Turn on the phone, please. Or at least answer me " 

........................ 

"Hello Derek, I'm studying at Scott’s, but I already know so much about history, there is no need to revise it. Your Alpha threatens me to throw away my phone, but I don’t give up until you answer me .... " 

"Hello Derek. I tried to call, but you have your voicemail active... Take it off. " 

"Hello Derek, you are the best to explain history. Allison is too busy texting with Isaac and Scott and Kira are disgustingly making out on the couch.   
Nice friends.   
I miss you. 

No, that is ... yes.   
I miss you a little. " 

*** 

"Hey Derek, it’s evening and I was thinking that spending a day without you is terrible. I missed you so much.   
You know, long ago Caitlin had asked me if I liked guys and I said nothing, because I was terribly confused.   
Now I think I know the answer.   
It's been a strange week, because I noticed the difference in your behaviour, and that scared me and reassured at the same time.   
I don’t know if there’s something between you and Braeden, but excuse me if I confess, I don’t like it.   
That something, I mean.   
I don’t know if I’m jealous or not, maybe yes, maybe I am, and I’m downright crazy, because I haven’t stopped once thinking of your smile.   
Derek, I don’t know what’s happening to me, but every time I think of you I feel a sense of warmth and well-being, which expands inside me and makes me dizzy.   
It's a block at the chest, that makes me barely breathe.   
I can hardly stand it, but it’s there and continues to be.   
It will be a full moon tomorrow, Derek, and will also be Valentine's Day.   
Maybe the person who kisses you during the full moon, the day of Valentine's Day, is the one that you will kiss for your entire life.   
I hope so, and I hope you won’t be with Braeden, tomorrow.   
Bye, Derek, good night. " 

Stiles has never sent that message, simply saving it in the drafts.  
He understands that Derek’s absence hurts him and at the same time, puts in order the chaos he finds in his brain.   
Stiles liked boys, having a special knack for the muscled, green-eyed and perpetually sullen ones.   
Even sullen wolves smile, Stiles knows, and this is what makes him feeling closer to Derek more than he ever was. 

*** 

"Derek, for the love of God, can you please stop checking the phone every single minute?" Jackson complains, lost in the maze of the men's department of a clothing store located in a major shopping center, just outside Beacon Hills. 

"Stiles doesn’t stop sending me messages, he thinks I’m with Braeden, can I reply? He wrote that he misses me! And Allison is texting with you Isaac, why can’t I talk to Stiles? "Derek almost kneels down in front of Lydia and Peter, who’s amusing himself a bit by denying the favour to the boy. 

"Don’t even think about it, you would spoil the whole plan Derek, you know. You have to dedicate this day just to yourself, ok? Stiles should miss you, should feel your absence to appreciate your presence, don’t you think? So follow our advice and shut up. Oh, look at that wonderful shirt, you could wear it tomorrow, it’s with a V-neck and a special blue... you'll be fine with it!” Lydia decides, as she drags the boys around the shop. 

Derek looks at the t-shirt, realizing that, all things considered, suits him perfectly. 

"Stop. Choose this, Stiles loves this kind of blue, trust me Derek..." Isaac jumps up, picking up the shirt. 

"You're right ... um, well, I would say that part of the wardrobe is in place. Now we need to look for a decent pair of trousers and then we take you to the barber, just to settle a bit the bush that you find yourself in the face. " 

Lydia’s authoritative tone doesn’t give him a chance to reply.   
Derek lets a stranger to shave his face and finds the most stylish trousers in circulation. 

"You'll see, this Valentine's Day will be the most exciting of your life, Derek," Isaac assures him. 

"Yes, but there will be a full moon and we are almost all werewolves." 

"Who know how to hold off instinct. And then, don’t worry Derek, we have the mountain ash that can stop the transformation, don’t you think?".   
Derek nods, frightened and agitated. He has never been so insecure about tomorrow. 

It would have been the most important day of the whole plan, week and life. One in which the truth would come to light. 

\- 

Day 7   
Tell him! (Happy Valentine's Day!) 

The full moon shines fair and powerful, illuminating strongly the entire city of Beacon Hills. 

Artificial lights are hardly needing to turn on, and it’s a very rare event. 

Its brightness is expanding on the houses of single women who celebrate the feast of love watching their favorite TV series, or gently stroked the newly couples who exchange promises, under the stars. 

Derek Hale hopes to be one of those. 

The boy- with his heart racing like a train - is waiting on the terrace of his loft, the special guest who stole his heart since their first meeting.

Stiles Stilinski has always stood up, protecting him and saving him so many times, Derek actually loses count. 

Because he suffered more than he was allowed, because of the whole supernatural mess: he was possessed by a Japanese spirit, and then saved by his friends and Derek understood, throughout the process, it was Stiles that spark that electrified his soul, the fire that lit up his heart.   
It happened without realizing it.   
It was instinctive.   
Derek saw Stiles suffering the effects of the illness of his mother, inflicted by the demon who possessed him, and he realized that seeing Stiles in pain, hurt him. 

Now the nightmare is completely over, and finally Derek can live a quiet life, possibly with Stiles at his side. 

The idea of the evening came from the episode of "Friendzone."   
The pack and Peter helped to decorate the balcony, with some typical Christmas lights and in the middle a table decorated with a beautiful white tablecloth, candles and two chocolate pies, with a heart drawn by Kira, adopting the typical manga style. 

Derek waits eagerly the arrival of the other, wearing his black leather jacket, which hides the electric blue t - shirt, the most important piece of clothing of the boy. 

His jeans are strictly black, and the beard on his face becomes just a scruff. 

Something begins to move and noises start to come from the loft. 

It has been all calculated: Stiles would have spent the whole Valentine's Day at the park with Allison and Isaac, then at home with Scott and Kira and finally at the bowling with Lydia and Jackson. 

Finally, Peter would blindfold him by surprise and Stiles would be brought on the balcony of the loft, ready to spend his perfect Valentine, without having to bear the ultra romantic one, of his friends. 

Peter opens the door to the balcony, showing to Derek his blindfolded and agitated guest, ordering him to be quiet. 

Derek feels warm all over his body. Stiles is dressed in a white shirt with a bright red sweatshirt on top, and he’s wearing a particular colour of dark blue jeans, like the colour of the sky at night. The boy's hair are scattered because of the blindfold and his movements. 

"Woah, where is everyone? Where have you brought me? I don’t get it… Why is no one talking?”

"Shut up, Stilinski! I am going to untie the blindfold but you should promise to be quiet and especially don’t even think about moving...". 

"Peter? Is that you? Damn, what’s this, a conspiracy? Why have you covered my eyes? ... I loathe the dark, please get this thing off of me... ". 

" I said stay still! I swear I’m going to let you free, but you have to stay very still."   
Peter walks away, glancing approvingly to his nephew nearby. 

"And it’s all yours..." he proclaims, before walking to the door.   
What neither Stiles nor Derek know, is that their meeting is filmed by a hidden camera and transmitted to Danny’s computer.   
The guy invited the rest of the group and his boyfriend Ethan, Aiden 's twin, to his house to celebrate Valentine's Day together. Lydia and Jackson would come after the bowling, because they didn’t want to miss the "show" of Derek’s confession. 

Derek himself, finally approaches Stiles, wrapping his arms around Stiles’ neck, to tighten the knot that holds the blindfold.   
Stiles smiles satisfied, feeling the contact with the stranger. 

"I don’t know who you might be, but I love your perfume..." he says, in a dreamy voice. 

Stiles’ breath becomes quieter and Derek is able to sniff curiosity and a hint of malice in the smell of the other boy.   
Derek's cheeks are lighting up with a bright red tone and, without a word, he unties the knot. 

The bandage falls to the ground. 

Stiles opens his eyes, finding himself in front of Derek Hale, who peers timidly, with a sweet smile across his face and pupils that are slightly larger than the usual.   
The werewolf bits his lip nervously, and that’s the moment in which Stiles feels as if a bomb exploded in his chest. 

Everything in Derek’s appearance is perfect. Everything, in the atmosphere they created, is definitely magical. 

"Hey" Derek whispers, eyeing Stiles, who embarrassed, hasn’t taken his eyes off of Derek. 

"Tonight the moon is full... are you thinking about maiming me and then eating me, sitting on that table? It’s probably going like this. Because if you don’t do it, I think I probably will, because you basically disappeared for two whole days. And, worse, you didn’t answer my texts. Rule #99: Always answer to Stiles’ texts... " 

Stiles blabs like a flooding river, divided by the appreciation for Derek’s appearance, confusion, and anger at the fact that Derek didn’t contact him. 

Derek laughs heartily, enjoying the moment, letting a deep sound to come out of his mouth, and Stiles knows his heart records that noise under the list "sounds to hear for the rest of his life." 

"I bought these clothes, yesterday. I couldn’t answer because the organizers of all this mess around you forbid me to do that. I wanted to answer you and, most of all, telling you that I missed you, but I was forced not to do it... " 

"Who the hell…Peter! It’s obviously all coming from his twisted mind, but he’s not alone.   
Wait…- realization lingering on Stiles’ face - I think Lydia and Jackson are a part of this too, and maybe even the rest of the guys. But why? I mean, I thought you were with Braeden, spending Valentine's Day with her ... " 

"And why should I? She’s already engaged" Derek reveals, peppering his answer with an obviousness which disarmed Stiles. 

"So you two are not together?" 

"Absolutely not. By the way, why do you care Stiles? Are you jealous?"   
Stiles’ face turns the same colour of the sweatshirt he is wearing.

The words hit him straight in his heart: the boy looks around awkwardly, deciding to sit down and bite his confusion into the chocolate cake resting on the plate. 

Derek follows him, without a word. His instinct suggests him that his moves are perfect and he should just keep it that way. 

"It’s good..." Stiles mutters, chewing voraciously.   
The young man is grateful that there’s something to eat, because his stomach grumbles, not a little, and then it’s a perfect distraction, given that he is feeling mostly awkward, though not negatively. 

"Kira baked it. It's very good, she has a special talent for cakes. " 

"I'm good too..." Stiles blurts, for no apparent reason. 

Derek looks at him with the usual calculated stare, and then repiles: "I don’t have any doubts..."   
The Hale notices that Stiles has chocolate on his lower lip, catching that opportunity too important to be wasted. 

The boy reaches out his hand. 

"Sorry, you’ve chocolate on your lip…let me…" Derek’s finger rests gently on Stiles’ lip, rubbing it with a little more care. The chocolate dips down Derek’s finger now, who decides to bring it closer to his mouth. 

Stiles's eyes follow hungrily the whole movement, with the Stilinski’s body who can’t stop being shaken by shivers of pleasure. His pupils are almost exploding and everything in his chest, is burning. 

Stiles isn’t able to look away from Derek’s lips.   
The Hale, for his part, decides that the time has come. There’s no reason to wait any more. 

Derek takes a deep breath, before getting up and closer to the balcony, to observe the moon and then the landscape below. 

Stiles follows him like a robot, seeming mesmerized by the other guy.   
All he wanted, from a few minutes, was to put his lips on Derek’s. It seems a due gesture, or perhaps the only one which made sense. 

"The city by night is spectacular, isn’t it?" Derek says with a low tone that Stiles catch anyway, nodding. 

"Why do you speak in such a low voice? No one can hear us!" 

"No... but it adds a bit of theatrical effect to the situation" Derek retorts, with a whisper. 

Stiles smiles, leaning his body to the edge of the balcony, right next Derek.   
Their arms are virtually glued, as well as one whole side of their bodies. 

Another breath, full of tension, vibrates in the fresh February air. 

There’s no time. 

Now or never. 

"Stiles, listen I have to talk to you ..." Derek turns around to find himself face to face with his friend, who he hopes to call "boyfriend" as soon as possible. 

"Why don’t you turn into a creature of the night? You are in full contact with the full moon.. don’t tell me you are using your anchor, or something like that?". 

Derek chuckles. It’s impossible for the kid to shut up. 

"Yes, I'm using my anchor, right now ... we have protected the loft with mountain ash, but I don’t think we need that, because my anchor is still strong enough to make me stay calm and human" Derek nods, staring intensively at Stiles.

His cheeks become burgundy. 

"Am I your anchor? "He asks in surprise.

Derek realizes he has to go straight to the point, also as soon as possible. 

He nods again, without another word. 

Stiles feels like he is struck by lightning, turning around quickly to better observe the table and decorations. 

"D -Darika and Stanes! She, though gruff and grumpy, loved the ways the other one made her happy and carefree. Oh...” his lips just parts: the fact that his eyes were observing with intensity the lips of the other, leads Derek to get even closer. 

"It’s impossible to hide something from you, little genius? Yes, let’s say that the program has inspired me to create all this for just one reason. Stiles, I think... I think I'm deeply in love with you. I have no idea how it happened, and I have no idea how you can take this confession, but I had to tell you, because I couldn’t hold it anymore. I thought me and you were in two completely opposite poles, but no, I was wrong and I was an idiot not to get this- ...” . 

Derek’s confession stops, just as soon as Stiles’ lips collide with the ones of the wolf.

Stiles pushes himself against Derek, so that their bodies become one thing: his lips press stronger, and Stiles brushes his tongue against Derek’s.   
Stiles' hand rests lovely on Derek’s cheek, while the werewolf finds Stiles’ hand to intertwine their fingers. 

It’s a dream, a wonderful dream that become reality, for both of them.   
The kiss is long, sweet, passionate, with tongues that dance against each other: the two boys take a good two minutes to separate, when they realize the air supply into the lungs is over. 

Somewhere in Beacon Hills, it’s possible to hear the screams of a festive group of teenagers and an uncle, who waited for the best happy ending. 

Stiles breaks away from Derek, with a smile from the left ear to the right.

"Now I understand why you left, when Stanes refused Darika. You were afraid that between me and you would have ended up in the same way... but you were absolutely wrong. I don’t think you've ever been in my friend-list Derek, because you went from enemy to "special person" in no time.

Everything you've shown me so far has made me realize that you care about me, more than anyone else. So yes, I would say let’s try. " 

Stiles grabs and shakes hands with a beaming Derek: they both turn to stare at the bright moon that sets their bond forever. 

After all, the person with whom you share a kiss under the full moon, the night of Valentine's Day, is the one that will kiss you for the rest of your life.


End file.
